Vice Presidential Debate

Vice Presidential Debate

Escuela de Gobierno organized a forum-debate last Thursday, July 18, with the two vicepresidential candidates.

In the context of the second round of elections, on July 18, Escuela de Gobierno, together with the organization Diálogos, held the vice-presidential forum on citizen security “Guatemala 2020,” with the participation of candidates Carlos Raúl Morales of the UNE Party and Guillermo Castillo of the Vamos Party.

During the forum, their proposed security policies were discussed, such as proposals to solve the problems at the country’s prisons, strengthening the National Civil Police and preventing violence, among others.

Both candidates agreed that strengthening the police is of paramount importance in improving the country’s security. Guillermo Castillo assured that the government of Dr. Alejandro Giammattei would work to ensure that “a true meritocracy is established at the Interior Ministry. We are going to work hard on the dignification of the police, professionalization and welfare bonuses that will allow police officers and their families to have access to an adequate health system.” . On the other hand, Carlos Raúl Morales said that “important internal changes are required to strengthen the National Civil Police, such as increasing the response capacity of agents and improving salaries; if we want to have concrete results to generate trust in our neighbors, we must make these changes.”

During the event, Daniel Haering, Academic Director of the EDG, stated that “the objective was to have a high level exchange among the candidates so that the students would know their positions on the challenges of citizen security and their response to the phenomenon of violence.”

The audience, mostly students from the Escuela de Gobierno, were able to ask the candidates’ opinions about other social problems afflicting the country and question them about the work they would do for Guatemala if they were to win the second round elections.